The Dornier Do 215 was a light bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and later a night fighter aircraft produced by Dornier Werke GmbH originally produced for export, but in the event all except two served in the Luftwaffe. It was nicknamed "The Flying Pencil" because of its slim fuselage. The successor of the Do 215 was the Dornier Do 217.

The Dornier was equipped with two radial engines, mounted on a "shoulder wing" structure and possessed a Twin tail vertical stabilizer configuration. Designed in the early 1930s, it was one of the three main Luftwaffe bomber types used in the first three years of the war. The Do 17 made its combat debut in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, operating in the Condor Legion in various roles. Along with the Heinkel He 111 it was the main bomber type of the German air arm in 1939-40. The type was popular among its crews due to its manoeuvrable handling at low altitude, which made the Dornier capable of surprise bombing attacks. Its sleek and thin airframe made it harder to hit than other German bombers, as it presented less of a target.

The Dornier was used throughout the war, and saw action in significant numbers in every major campaign theatre as a front-line aircraft until the end of 1941, when its effectiveness and usage was curtailed as its bomb load and range were limited. Production of the Dornier ended in the summer of 1940, in favour of the newer and more powerful Junkers Ju 88. The successor of the Do 17 was the Dornier Do 217, which started to appear in strength in 1942. Even so, the Do 17 continued service in the Luftwaffe in various roles until the end of the war, as a transport, test and trainer aircraft. A considerable number of surviving examples were sent to other Axis nations. A small production run of an updated version known as the Do 215 was also produced for export, but ended up in Luftwaffe service. Production of the Do 215 ceased in January 1941. Few of the Dornier Do 17s survived the war. The last was scrapped in Finland in 1952.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Dornier Do 215 B-5 Kauz light bomber that was piloted by Gruppenkommandeur Helmut Lent who was attached to Stab III/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, then deployed to Leeuwarden, Holland, during the summer of 1942. Comes with a poseable display stand. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-3/4-inches
Length: 8-3/4-inches

Release Date: February 2010

Historical Account: "Englandblitz" - Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 2 was formed on September 1st, 1940, in Gilze en Rijen from II./NJG 1.

One of this unit's Ju 88G-1 night fighters, from the 7th Staffel, with Geschwaderkennung style aircraft code 4R+UR, was flown into RAF Woodbridge by mistake on July 13th, 1944, revealing the existence of the VHF-band Lichtenstein SN-2 airborne intercept radar, and Flensburg radar detector gear, in Luftwaffe night fighter aircraft to the Allies for the first time.